Joint Press Availability With EU High Representative Javier Solana and Quartet Special Envoy Jim Wolfensohn
Secretary Condoleezza Rice
David Citadel Hotel
JerusalemNovember 15, 2005
SECRETARY RICE: Good morning. Two months ago, Israel and the Palestinian Authority took an unprecedented step on the road to peace with the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, returning control of that territory to the Palestinian people. Israeli and Palestinian leaders have been hammering out practical arrangements to gain the benefits of that withdrawal and improve conditions in the rest of the Palestinian territories.
First, for the first time since 1967, Palestinians will gain control over entry and exit from their territory. This will be through an international crossing at Rafah, whose target opening date is November 25th."
Um, Condi? There wasn't even a make-believe country CALLING itself Palestine back in 1967. After WWII the Brits gave up the logistical heavy lifting and the brandy new UN wanted to set up the area into seperate Arab and Jewish nations. Well, we all know how THAT worked out, as the Arabs launched one disasterous war after another to drive the Israeli's into the sea. And were humiliated.
Egypt was finally given control of Gaza, and Jordan handled the West Bank. There certainly was no such thing as Palestine or Palestinians, so what Secretary Rice was talking about is anybody's guess.
She either screwed the pooch bigtime, or was making a gesture to the Arabs calling themselves Palestinians. Either way it was a silly thing to do, and one would expect more from a Secretary of State.
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